Vees shut out Warriors 5-0 to stay perfect against rival
The West Kelowna Warriors power play has sputtered all season — especially against the Penticton Vees.
Ty Amonte scored twice, Duncan Campbell netted the Vees’ fifth shorthanded goal in six games against the Warriors this season and Penticton breezed to a 5-0 victory Friday at the South Okanagan Events Centre.
Mat Robson made 26 stops for his second straight shutout and fifth of the season. Robson hasn’t surrendered a goal in 156 minutes, 58 seconds, dating back to a Vees home-ice win over Trail on Feb. 8.
Nicholas Jones and Grant Cruikshank also scored and Owen Sillinger and Griffin Mendel each had two assists as the Vees (38-12-2-1) won their fourth straight and beat their Okanagan rivals for the sixth time in as many meetings this season.
The teams meet one last time Tuesday in West Kelowna.
The Warriors (26-26-2) hit a post and a crossbar but still couldn’t connect on the power play, which is second-worst in the BCHL at 13.6 per cent efficiency.
West Kelowna starter Cole Demers also struggled, yielding three goals on only five shots before being replaced by Gabriel Morency in the first minute of the second period. Morency made 17 saves on 19 shots.
The Vees got the quick jump, scoring on their first shot 3:09 into the game. Sillinger swiped the puck off Jared Marino at centre and set up a speeding Amonte, who cut to the middle and slid the puck between Demers’ pads.
Just two minutes later, it was 2-0 as Jones lunged to redirect a perfect lead pass by Chris Klack. Campbell also assisted at 5:11.
The Vees got a pivotal goal just 21 seconds into the second period. Jones nudged the puck ahead to Campbell, who zipped a shot from the left-wing boards that somehow eluded Demers on the far side.
That was the end of the line for the struggling Demers, who was replaced by Morency.
The Vees got to Morency 1:16 into the third period as Cruikshank took a feed from Gabe Bast and snapped one home low on the short side to make it 4-0. Jonny Tychonick also assisted.
A melee at 4:49 resulted in several ejections and over 100 minutes in penalties, though there were no fighting majors assessed.
Amonte finished off the scoring with his 16th of the season from Sillinger and Mendel with 3:14 left.
The Vees take on the Salmon Arm Silverbacks on Anti-Bullying Night tonight at 6 p.m. at the SOEC. The Vees play their final home game of the regular season Sunday at 2 p.m. against Victoria.
West Kelowna plays Victoria tonight at 7 p.m. at Royal LePage Place.
GRIZZLIES 4, VIPERS 2: Timothy Friedmann and Cody Van Lierop scored in a 61-second span early in the first period and Victoria held on to beat Vernon at Kal Tire Place.
Keyvan Mokhtari, late in the first period, and Nathan Van Looysen, into an open net with 20 seconds left, also scored for the Grizzlies (36-11-3-4).
Ryan Brushett and Brett Stapley scored third-period goals for the
ST. CATHARINES, Ont. (CP) — Life takes a back seat to curling for the Rachel Homan team these days.
Homan skips host Ontario at the Canadian women’s curling championship that begins today. Homan, third Emma Miskew, second Joanne Courtney and lead Lisa Weagle possess Vipers (28-18-5-4) to set up a dramatic finish.
Matthew Galadja made 35 saves for Victoria and Darion Hanson stopped 22 shots for Vernon.
The Vipers stay home to take on the Alberni Valley Bulldogs tonight at 6 p.m.
ICE CHIPS: The Salmon Arm Silverbacks beat the visiting the tools and talent to win both, and thus wear the Maple Leaf in next month’s world championship and next year’s Winter Olympics.
“We’ve all put our careers on hold,” Homan said Friday. “We’ve spent a lot of time together as a team and less so on career.
“We’re not seeing our friends and family as Alberni Valley Bulldogs 4-0 to clinch a playoff berth despite sitting last in the Interior Division. The loss also eliminated Alberni from playoff contention and put the Nanaimo Clippers in. The BCHL’s 14 playoff teams are now determined, though there should be jockeying for position in the final 10 days of the regular season. much as we’d like to.
“But they know this is a priority for us and a life-long goal we’re trying to achieve and they’re 100 per cent behind us. You have to be OK with saying ‘No’ to things and taking time for yourself and taking time with the team and kind of putting that as a priority.”